Anglian Windows - door to door guys swearing at customers

Manty

Ultimately, you can't beat answering the door completely naked, wouldn't see them for dust, especially given the way I look when I'm wearing my birthday suit.

PinkLipgloss

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

So to get your own back on someone who followed up on a quote by leaving a polite voicemail, you invited them in and then screamed at them to get out and then paid double for something just to spite them?

What exactly did you plan to report his company over, and to whom?

Are you mentally ill?

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Brooker Dave - from what I've read of your posts recently you tend to type comments I'm thinking but am too polite to type!

davidlizard

I have noticed a new trick some door to door salesmen are pulling.

They bang on the door and say they are cleaning the guttering/repairing fences/pruning trees etc for a close neighbour, and as they are in the area can they "do me" (how very true!!) whilst they are at it.

Of course, I question them as to who this "close neighbour" is, and they say its someone down the road. I then ask who exactly as I know most people down the road, to which of course they have no answer. Of course, they are trying to build confidence in them - because if a neighbour has got them doing work they must be OK (I presume is the logic behind this).

I have a set of gates across my driveway, which keeps them out. But my parents nearby get a lot of this.

They also put what at first appears to be handwritten notes through the door, saying they will be in the area on Tuesday clearing a close neighbours guttering, and they can do mine whilst at it, just call them (of course on a mobile number). When these notes are looked at closely, they are photocopies.

sashman

trisontana wrote: »

While you are on here would you answer some general questions about your company:-

(1) What do you think of our comments about you just paying your staff commission and not a "proper" wage? Do you agree that this may bring out the worst in these sales people because they are so desperate to earn some money?

(2) What do you think of "no cold calling areas" which have been set up in some parts of the country? Could it be because people just don't want to be bothered by salesmen knocking on their doors?

(3) Why is Anglia forced to go down this route which puts them on the same level as those dodgy people who offer to re-tarmac your driveway? I would have thought that such a large company as yours would not have to resort to such tactics.

(1) Of course direct sales brings out the worst its human nature, however sales commissions, are the most cost effective method of selling (for the nationals), as they only pay out when a salesman makes the sale, and at the prices they expect the job to be sold at, otherwise they don’t get a penny if its undersold. Few businesses can afford to employ salaried sales people, especially if they don’t sell much product.

(2) Sure I agree I’m against door to door SALES people, people who hawk stuff and attempt to force a sale there and then. I know any interruption is an interruption, but double glazing people aren’t hawking stuff to be sold on the doorstep, they’d enquiring to see if there is an interest in the product so a suitable appointment can be made.

Even businesses have rights to sell their products.

Unfortunately, No call zones prevent anyone from calling, politicians lobbing for support (hooray), boy scouts collecting for jumble, village magazines from being sent etc

(3) I completely agree, the industry would be far cleaner if written quotations were the norm, if fixed price selling could be introduced, but most companies do offer far better products these days, with NVQ’d fitters, and there’s more legislation today than every before.

NONE of us in the industry want to be confused with dodgy tarmacers, flat roof merchants, who escort the venerable to the cash point machines and force them to hand over huge sums of cash.

The vast majority of the window industry is trying to improve itself and its image.

Hope this goes some way to explain the other side.

sashman

Antispam

Perhaps we wouldnt have no cold zones if people didnt get high pressure sales reps or people who blatantly lie, or disprect homeowners wishes regarding no cold callers when they leave notes at there doors/gates

Believe it or not not everyone wants to be pestered by liars, time wasters

MothballsWallet

sashman, until we homeowners get the privacy rights we deserve, these interruptions will get the response they deserve.

I had a Dogs Trust canvasser today - just told him "not interested" the second I opened the door, and that was it, but I shouldn't have to deal with this kind of interruption.

vikingaero

sashman wrote: »

(2) Sure I agree I’m against door to door SALES people, people who hawk stuff and attempt to force a sale there and then. I know any interruption is an interruption, but double glazing people aren’t hawking stuff to be sold on the doorstep, they’d enquiring to see if there is an interest in the product so a suitable appointment can be made.

If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a bleedin' duck! It doesn't matter whether it's a £2 pack of dishcloths or a £20k order for double glazing, the price does not make you any different.

Even businesses have rights to sell their products.

No-one has a right to sell anything to anyone. :rolleyes:

(3) I completely agree, the industry would be far cleaner if written quotations were the norm, if fixed price selling could be introduced, but most companies do offer far better products these days, with NVQ’d fitters, and there’s more legislation today than every before.

NONE of us in the industry want to be confused with dodgy tarmacers, flat roof merchants, who escort the venerable to the cash point machines and force them to hand over huge sums of cash.

The vast majority of the window industry is trying to improve itself and its image.

The claims of the Double Glazing industry are just that - claims. One of my best friends was an area manager for Everest and has told me loads of stories about DG companies. For example many claim to have in-house fitters. What this often means is that they have subcontractors who drive around in their liveried vans to make people think they are employees. This goes for small companies right to the big companies.

The tactics used by DG canvassers are often no different to that employed by tarmacers and dodgy roofers - often worse. How many times have I heard: "Good morning sir, am I speaking to the homeowner?........ I'm not selling anything today, but if you could have one, two, three or fours windows for free which ones would you replace?" :mad:

Surfing_spaniel

I do have a very polite sign up for door salesmen along the lines of if I win the lottery I'll be in touch. However in the past I've found the best thing to do is say you're in the process of moving house
I'm actually having a new porch & fascias fitted in a couple of weeks. All my quotes were from local builders, turns out the one I chose has done half the neighbourhood & is an excellent price. I already have a brick porch so just wanted the roof, doors & windows replacing, worked out so much cheaper. I went into one of the 'big' double glazing places & was told there was no way you could do that it would have to be pulled down as the brickwork & base would have to be replaced. They hadn't even seen it!

sashman

vikingaero wrote: »

If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a bleedin' duck! It doesn't matter whether it's a £2 pack of dishcloths or a £20k order for double glazing, the price does not make you any different.



No-one has a right to sell anything to anyone. :rolleyes:



The claims of the Double Glazing industry are just that - claims. One of my best friends was an area manager for Everest and has told me loads of stories about DG companies. For example many claim to have in-house fitters. What this often means is that they have subcontractors who drive around in their liveried vans to make people think they are employees. This goes for small companies right to the big companies.

The tactics used by DG canvassers are often no different to that employed by tarmacers and dodgy roofers - often worse. How many times have I heard: "Good morning sir, am I speaking to the homeowner?........ I'm not selling anything today, but if you could have one, two, three or fours windows for free which ones would you replace?" :mad:

I didnt say there weren't bad eggs, but believe it or not there are some that care, that try to improve the industry and reduce the opportunities for rouges to exist.

In my experience (in the business since 1972) smaller family run businesses who take pride in their local area and reputations, have a far stronger sense of whats right and just, than some of the nationals.

we get miffed off when all we hear is how bad the industry is, few people take the opportunity to say thank you anymore.

must go, theres an uninvited cold caller selling pictures at the door, I'll politely tell them I am not interested, but if it were the dogs trust my wife would have been interested, cold caller or not, (thats why organisations enquire/interupt).

sashman

before_hollywood

i live in an ex council house, was bought on right to buy by someone else ages back, but so as not to raise suspicion to the untrained eye i have kept it the same as the council ones- their roofs are new, mine is new, they have a particular front door, i havent changed mine etc.

if someone knocks at the door i simply say 'i cant have that done myself mate the council has to arrange it'

or if its a utility thing 'it's the landlord's decision, i'll tell him you have been though'
and then i tell myself that they have been lol, well then i am telling them the truth lol